Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines



' Jan. 2, 1951 E. v. s'rIBBE ET 'AL YARN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTINGMACHINES Filed July 25, 1949 s Sheets-Shefl 1 I l3 I y Inqentorsfiowarc/ M bfie 5814mm H, Wesf By W I W Ja-n- 1951 E. v. STlBBE ETAL2,537,000

YARN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July25, 1949 F/GS 23 20 Q as I nv entorS iawan/l. /1116 y w 6 Age/2i.

Jan. 2, 1951 i E. v. STIBBE ETAL 2,537,000

YARN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING menmms Filed July 25, 1949 H 7 3sheets'sheet 5 nven tors Ida/m1 I, 519566 Eel-7,601 l/ hsf Patented Jan.2, 1951 UNETED STATES PATENT @FFICE YARN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTINGMACHINES Edward VictorStibbe and Bertram HenryWest; Leicester, England,assignors toG. St-ibbe &' Co. LimitedLeicester,England, a Britishcompany Application July 25, 1949, SerialNo. 106,684 In Great BritainAugust 5, 1948 11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to yarnfeeding mechanism for knitting machines,and has for its object to provide a simplified form of such mechanism ofthe type comprising positive meanscapable 'of drawing-off the yarn fromits supply at varying rates on its way to the needles, and adapted todetermine the saidrates inaccordance with variations in the tension ofthe yarn.

The invention consists of yarnfeeding mechanism the principalfeatureofwhich is that it embodies a single tapered roller about the periphery ofwhich the yarn is intended to be lapped or wrapped on its way to thefeeder of the machine, and which is positively driven soas tcexert,frictionally, a drawing-01f actiononthe yarnand means adapted tobeinfluenced by variations in tension of the yarn during knitting,whereby, as the result of such variations, the position of the lap orwrap ofthe yarn is varied lengthwise of the roller se-that the lap orwrap-is increased ordecreased and the rate at which the-yarn-isdrawnfrom the-supply is correspondingly varied as occa sion' demands.

Conveniently the roller is of frusto -con-ical form and base plainperiphery. For example, a roller made of wood, metal, or of a plasticsubstance may be adopted. In order toenhance the frictional grip of theyarn on the roller the latter may be provided with a covering of rubberor of a materialin the nature of rubber, or any other suitablefrictional material not likely to have abrasive action on the yarn.Preferably, however, the tapered roller is made wholly of rubber or likematerial.

The invention is primarily intended for application to circular knittingmachines of the independent latch or bearded needle type, but it may beapplied'to knitting machines of other types, in connection with whichthe provision of similar yarn feeding mechanism would be an advantage ascompared with existing mechanisms.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readilycarried into practical effeet, a specific example thereof applicable toa circular knitting machine of the rotary bed and independent needletype with a superstructure adapted to carry an overhead yarn supply willnow be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a general perspective view showing a portion of such asuperstructure with the improved yarn feeding mechanism applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a part side elevational and part vertical sectional view ofthe said yarn feeding mechanism,

Figure 3is a side-elevational view of the mechanism, illustrating themanner iii-which the-lapping or wrapping oftheyarn is shifted axiallyalong thetapered roller consequent upon a rocking movement of the yarncompensator,

Figure 4 isa deta-i'l'vertical sectionalviewcorrespending tothe lowerportion of Figure-2 showing how the appropriate yarn guide co-opera-teswith an electrical stop motion, and

Figure 5 is a detail part sectional and part elevational view depictingone of the connections in the circuit ofthe electrical stop motion.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout thedrawings.

Referring to Figure 1, the reference numeral l indicates the centralverticalcolumn of a superstructure such as iscommonly mounted onthetopof a circular knitting machine of thecylinder and dialtype. A few ofthe cylinder needles of the machine-are shown at 2, andco-operating-dial needles at 3 t represents a yarn feeder bracket orfeeder furnished with eyes 5 through which a yarn Y drawn from a-cone orother wound package such as 6 is fed to the needles at aknittinglocation. The wound package of yarn- 6 is supported upon a carrier disc7 whichis fitted with a central vertical spin-ale ii for locating thesaid package iii-position. The disc 17 is inturn'carried by a radial arm9= secured at its inner end in a supporting spider or circular framei-Q' fi-tted upon the central vertical column i From the pack-age E, theyarn Y extends upwardly first through-a pair of slotted tensioning discsl E and then through yarn guides i2 and i3 at the top of thesuperstructure from whence it then extends downwards through a fixed poteye it to the yarn feeding mechanism-designated generally by thereference letter A. The: tensioning discs H are carried by. a radial arm55 secured in a holder l6 fixed on the vertical column I, whilst theguides i2 and iii consist of appropriately b'ent ends of a length ofwire H- s'ecured ina further holder I8 on the upper end of the saidcolumn. From the yarn feeding mechanism A, the yarn Y extends upwardsagain, over a guide it carried by the aforesaid carrier disc '5. andfinally downwards through the feeder bracket t to the needles. In thecase of a mu-lti-feeder kni ting machine there would be a plurality ofyarns-one: to each feeder with a separate mechanism such as A forfeeding each yarn.

The yarn feeding mechanism A in the particular example illustratedcomprises a; single frusto-conical roller 20 of solid rubber moulded orvulcanized onto a metal spindle 2|. The roller 3 20 has a plainperiphery. The spindle 21 is journalled in a bushed bearing 22 providedin the wall of a fixed circular casing 23 which is centrally bossed at24 to receive the lower end of the vertical column I. The casin 23 isfitted with a removable cover 25. The inner end of the spindle 2!, whichextends radially from the easing, is provided with a pinion 26 arrangedin mesh with a crown wheel 21 adapted to be driven from a shaft (notshown) in turn driven from the main driving gear of the machine. Thecrown wheel 27 is rotatably mounted within the casing in the mannershown in Figure 2. Thus, the frusto-conical roller 23 is positivelydriven in a continuous manner. 1, the roller 2G is arranged horizontallyabove the needles. Associated with the frusto-conical roller 20 areautomatic means consisting of a yarn compensator comprising a hub 28.The hub 28 is mounted to rock about a stub axle 29 fitted on a bracket3% carried b the superstructure aforesaid, and is provided with acounterweight 3|.

Depending radially from the hub 28 normally to a point locatedsubstantially midway of the ends of the roller 28 (see Figure 3), aretwo closely adjacent yarn guides 32 and 33 through which the yarn Y ispassed when being lapped or wrapped about th roller 29, preferably, andas shown, in a single turn or coil, during threading up. The yarnextending downward through the pot eye i i passes first down through theguide 32 then completely around the roller 20 and again downwardsthrough the companion guide 33. The guides 32 and 33, which are disposedalongside the roller 20, maintain the lapping or wrapping Y andconsequently, on rocking of the hub 23, according to variations in thetension of the yarn, shift th lapping or wrapping axially along theroller 26 one way or the other with consequent increase or decrease inthe amount of yarn lapped or wrapped and likewise a correspondingvariation in the rate of drawing-off, the roller being, as previouslydescribed, positively driven. This Windlass or capstan-like lapping orwrapping of the yarn about a single, positively driven, tapered orfrusto-conical roller with its capacity for variation in position on theroller and resultant variation in the rate of supply under varyingconditions, as aforesaid, constitutes the essential novel feature of thepresent invention as compared with a yarn furnishing means of knowntype, comprising a pair of frusto-conical toothed wheels, arranged withtheir axes parallel, and their teeth in mesh, so as to be adapted tomeasure off variable lengths of yarn according to the different pointsalong the wheels at which yarn passes between them, as determined byautomatic controllin means, including, for example, a compensatoradapted to be influenced by the running yarn. The invention provides a asimpler andmore compact mechanism so that its adaptation to circularknitting machines of the multi-feed type in which the required rollersare arranged horizontally and radially about a common vertical axisenables considerably more feeders and yarn feeding mechanism to beprovided in a machine of a given size, i. e. cylinder diameter, ascompared with a mechanism which includes a pair of meshing toothedwheels, with commensurate increase in the rate of production of knittedfabric. In order to produce the rocking movement of the hub 28 necessaryto shift the lapped or wrapped yarn axially of the roller 23 the saidhub is furnished with an additional guide 34 which extends upwardly andis located between As will be seen from Figure if the hub 28 and theyarn feeder bracket at the knittin location concerned. Between theguides 33 and 34, the yarn Y passes through a dropper guide 35 havingassociated therewith a contact 36 arranged in an electrical circuitincluding an electrical stop motion whereby, in the event ofabnormalities such as yarn failure or breakage, the dropper guide 35 isreleased and closes the circuit, thereby energising an electro-magnet(not shown) which, in turn, operates to trip a belt striking gear orequivalent means to stop the machine. The contact 36 is adapted forcooperation with a spring contact 31 which is arranged to bear upon ametallic conductor strip or plate 38 to which is connected an insulatedWire 39 in turn connected to the electro-magnet. In Figure 4, thedropper guide 35 is shown released with the circuit closed.

Thus, tracing the yarn Y from the wound package 6 it passes firstthrough a pair of slotted tension discs H, then through the guides 12and i3 and the pot eye l4, thence through the lap or wrap guide 32, thenin a single turn or coil around the roller 20, then through the otherlap or wrap guide 33 to the yarn feeder 4 by way of the dropper guide35, the guide 34 on the hub 28 and the guide [9, the whole being soarranged as to be adapted to enable the mechanism to function ashereinbefore described. It will be noted that the pivotal axis of thecompensator is at right angles to the axis of the roller 20 so thataccordin to the tendency of the yarn Y to vary in tension, thecompensator in swinging one way or the other, will move the dependentlap or wrap guides 32 and 33 correspondingly and commensurately alongthe roller, as occasion demands. If desired, an auxiliary yarn guide maybe provided adjacent to the dropper guide 35 so that the latter is heldup while the yarn is intact.

The mechanism provided by the invention may be applied to circular andother appropriate knitting machines employed in the manufacture of bodyfabric, garments or garment lengths, as well as to machines forproducing stockings, socks and like knitted articles. Moreover theinvention may be applied to circular knitting machines with stationaryneedle beds and movable cam systems.

What we claim then is:

l. in a knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, astructure adapted to carry a supply of yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said supply is passed to the needles at a knitting location,and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single tapered roller about 9the periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its way to the said feeder,means for positively driving the tapered roller so as to exert,frictionally, a drawing-off action on the yarn, guides adapted tomaintain the wrap of the yarn about the tapered roller, and a movablecomponent which carries the said wrap guides and is adapted to beinfluenced by variations in tension of the yarn during knitting whereby,as the result of such variations, the wrap guides are displaced to varythe position of the wrap of the yarn lengthwise of the tapered roller sothat the wrap is increased or decreased and the rate at which the yarnis drawn from the supply is correspondingly varied as occasion demands.

2. In a knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, astructure adapted to carry a supply af yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said. supply is passed to the needles at a knitting location,and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single frusto-conical rollerhaving a plain periphery about. which yarn is wrapped on its way to thesaid feeder, means for positively driving the tapered roller so as toexert, frictionally, a drawing-off action on the yarn, guides adapted tomaintain the wrap of the yarn about the frusto-conical roller, and amovable component which carries the said wrap guides and is adapted tobe influenced by variations in tension of the yarn during knittingwhereby, as

the result of such variations, the wrap guides are displaced to vary theposition of the wrap of the yarn lengthwise of the frusto-conical rollerso that the wrap is increased or decreased and the rate at which theyarn is drawn from the supply is correspondingly varied as occasiondemands.

3. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the tapered roller ismade wholly of rubber.

4. In a knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, astructure adapted to carry a supply of yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said supply is passed to the needles at a knitting location,and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single tapered roller aboutthe periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its way to the said feeder,means for positively driving the tapered roller so as to exert,frictionally, a drawing-off action on the yarn, guides adapted tomaintain the wrap of the yarn about the tapered. roller, a rockingcomponent which carries the said wrap guides and is mounted for rockingmovement upon a pivotal axis, and a further guide on the rockingcomponent for engagement with the run of the yarn between the wrapguides and the aforesaid feeder so that the rocking component isinfluenced and caused to rock back and forth by variations in thetension of the yarn during knitting whereby, as the result of suchvariations, the wrap guides are displaced to vary the position of thewrap of the yarn lengthwise of the tapered, roller so that the wrap isincreased or decreased and the rate at which the yarn is drawn from thesupply is correspondingly varied as occasion demands.

5. In a knitting machine, in combination, a

series of needles, a structure adapted to carry a supply of yarn, afeeder through which yarn from the said supply is passed to the needlesat a knitting location, and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a singletapered. roller about the periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its wayto the said feeder, means for positively driving the tapered roller soas to exert, frictionally, a drawing-off action on the yarn, guidesadapted to maintain the wrap of the yarn about the tapered roller, arocking component which carries the said wrap guides and is mounted forrocking movement upon a pivotal axis, a further guide on the rockingcomponent for engagement with the run of the yarn between the wrapguides and the aforesaid feeder so that the rocking component isinfluenced and caused to rock back and forth by variations in thetension of the yarn during knitting whereby, as the result of suchvariations, the wrap guides are displaced to vary the position of thewrap of the yarn lengthwise of the tapered roller so that the wrap isincreased or decreased and the rate at which the yarn is drawn from thesupply is correspondingly varied. as occasion demands and acounterweight which is provided on the rocking component.

6. In a knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, astructure adapted to carry a supply of yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said supply is passed to the needles at a knitting location,and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single tapered. roller aboutthe periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its way to the said feeder,means for positively driving the tapered roller so as to exert,frictionally, a drawing-01f action on the yarn, guidesadap-ted tomaintain the wrap of the yarn about the tapered roller, a movablecomponent which carries the said wrap guides and is adapted to beinfluenced by variations in tension of the yarn during knitting whereby,as the result of such variations, the wrap guides are displaced to-varythe-position of the wrap of the yarn lengthwise of the tapered roller sothat the wrap is increased or decreased and the rate at which the yarnis drawn from the supply is correspondingly varied as occasion demands,a yarn guide in the form of a dropper for engagement with the run of theyarn between the wrap guides and the feeder, the said dropper beingnormally held in an idle position by the yarn but adapted to be releasedin the event of abnormalities occurring in the yarn feed, and meansadapted, upon release of said dropper, to initiate stoppage of themachine.

'7. In a knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, astructure adapted to carry a supply of yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said supply is passed to-the needles at a knitting location,anda yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single tapered roller about theperiphery of which yarn is wrapped on its way to the said feeder, meansfor positively driving the tapered roller so as to exertffrictionally, adrawing-off action on the yarn, guides adapted to. maintain the wrap ofthe yarn about the tapered roller, a rocking component which carries thesaid wrap guides and is mounted for rocking movement upon a pivotalaxis, a further guide on the rocking component for engagement with therun of the yarn between the wrap guides and the aforesaid feeder so thatthe rocking component is influenced and caused to rock back and forth byvariations in the tension of the yarn during knitting whereby, as theresult of such variations, the wrap guides are displaced to vary theposition of the wrap of the yarn lengthwise of the tapered roller sothat the wrap is increased or decreased and the rate at which the yarnis drawn from the supply is correspondingly varied as occasion demands,a yarn guide in the form of a dropper for engagement with the run of theyarn between the wrap guides and the further guide employed to producethe rocking movements of the rocking component, the said dropper beingnormally held in an idle position by the running yarn but adapted to bereleased in the event of abnormalities occurring in the yarn feed, and apair of electrical contacts associated with the dropper and adapted tobe brought into contact in the event of the dropper being released forthe purpose of initiating stoppage of the machine.

8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles,a superstructure adapted to carry an overhead supply of yarn, a feederthrough which yarn from the said supply is passed to the needles at aknitting location, and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a singletapered roller about the periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its wayto the said feeder, the said roller being arranged above the needles,horizontally and radially with respect to the central axis of themachine, gearing for positively driving the tapered roller from the maindrive of the machine so as to exert, frictionally, a drawing-oi? actionon the yarn, guides adapted to maintain the wrap of the yarn about thetapered roller, and a movable component which carries the said wrapguides and is adapted to be influenced by variations in tension of theyarn during knitting whereby, as the result of such variations, the wrapguides are displaced to vary the position of the wrap of the yarnlengthwise of the tapered roller so that the wrap is increased ordecreased and the rate at which the yarn is drawn from the supply iscorrespondingly varied as occasion demands.

9. In a knitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, astructure adapted to carry a supply of yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said supply is passed to the needles at a knitting location,and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single tapered roller aboutthe periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its way to the said feeder,means for positively driving the tapered roller so as to exert,frictionally, a drawing-off action on the yarn, two closely adjacentyarn guides through which the yarn is passed when being wrapped aboutthe tapered roller during threading up, said guides being adapted tomaintain the wrap of the yarn about the tapered roller, and a componentfrom which the said two guides depend radially, this component beingmounted for rocking movement upon a pivotal axis and adapted to beinfluenced by variations in tension of the yarn during knitting whereby,as the result of such variations, the

wrap guides are displaced to vary the position 11. In a circularknitting machine, in combination, a series of needles, a superstructureadapted to carry an overhead supply of yarn, a feeder through which yarnfrom the said supply is passed to the needles at a knitting location,and a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a single tapered roller aboutthe periphery of which yarn is wrapped on its way tothe said feeder, twoclosely adjacent yarn guides adapted to maintain the wrap of yarn aboutthe tapered roller, a component from which the said two guides dependradially, this component being mounted for rocking movement about apivotal axis, and an upwardly extending guide on the rocking component,the yarn from the supply carried by the superstructure being passed downthrough one of the two wrap guides, then in a single turn around thetapered roller, then through the other wrap guide, up through theupwardly extending guide and from thence through the feeder to theneedles, so that the rocking component is influenced and caused to rockback and forth by variations in the tension of the yarn during knittingwhereby, as the result of such variations, the wrap guides are displacedto vary the position of the wrap of the yarn lengthwise of the taperedroller so that the wrap is increased or decreased and the rate at whichthe yarn is drawn from the supply is correspondingly varied as occasiondemands.

EDWARD VICTOR STIBBE.

BERTRAM HENRY WEST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

